Final answer:
The statement is True. The acceleration due to gravity on Earth is approximately 9.8 m/s^2 and can be used in the equation F = ma when finding the force or mass of an object being dropped.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is True.
The acceleration due to gravity on Earth is approximately 9.8 m/s^2. This value is often used in the equation F = ma, where F represents the force and m represents the mass of an object being dropped or in free fall. By substituting the weight of the object (mg) for F in Newton's universal law of gravitation, the equation becomes F = mg = ma, which is the correct equation for finding the force or mass of a dropped object.
For example, if we have a 2 kg object being dropped on Earth, we can calculate the force using F = ma, where a = 9.8 m/s^2 and m = 2 kg. Therefore, F = 2 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 19.6 N.